The invention relates to a display assembly, and more particularly to a carton comprising a display tray and a cover capable of supporting stacking loads.
In recent years, display shippers have enjoyed increased popularity due to the economies that may be realized by including a display tray as part of a shipping carton. When the display shipper arrives at its destination, the cover may be removed, and the tray can then be used in the store to display products for retail sale without the need to remove the products from the tray.
It is, of course, desirable that a display shipper be lightweight, but it must also be strong enough to support loads associated with stacking a plurality of shipping containers on a pallet, constraining the containers to secure them in place on the pallet, and transporting the palletized containers from distribution points to retail locations. The loads that a display shipper must support may vary, and the height of a commercial pallet load is generally variable depending on the product being shipped. Products that are heavy and/or fragile are generally stacked to a lower height, while products that are light or less susceptible to damage may be stacked higher.
It is also generally desirable that the shipping container not occupy more space than necessary. Any space occupied by the shipping container reduces the amount of space available for product on the pallet.
In the past, shipping container covers have often comprised a simple box structure comprising a rectangular, horizontal top wall, and four vertical walls extending downward therefrom. This type of cover may be readily placed over a display tray or other container bottom, and secured thereto by tape at the bottom. While this type of cover is widely used, it has significant drawbacks from the standpoint that each of the vertical walls is disposed outside of the footprint of the display tray, and accordingly the cover adds not only to the vertical dimension, but also to the length and width of the shipping container. Also, if the cover is secured to the tray by tape at the bottom, the assembly generally must be lifted to cut the tape efficiently. Accordingly, while this type of cover may be preferred for certain applications due to its strength and rigidity, for other products, particularly lightweight products, it is less than ideal.
There is a need for an improved display assembly, and in particular, for an improved cover for retail display assemblies.